WARNING: this story contains references to sexual assault. Please read carefully, and avoid if you feel it may trigger anxiety.
"Inspector! Arrest kar lijiye iss aadmi ko. Isne mujhe sexually assault karne ki koshish ki hai."
The entire staff of ZoSh stood frozen in their places. It was as if someone had pressed pause'. No wait. It was as if someone had pressed Freeze', because they could hear everything, comprehend every action but not move. They saw 3 policemen walk in with a girl; they saw them going to the desk that Adi was standing at, where he had been talking to Mithilesh Ji just 2 minutes ago. They saw them get the handcuffs out and put them on Adi's wrist. But they couldn't move. More than the police handcuffing Adi (God knows they've seen that a couple of times already), it was the accusation that stunned them. Sexual Assault?! Aditya Hooda? No. it couldn't be. But would a girl lie about that? It was so serious! The conflict had enveloped all of their minds, unable to decide what to do, what to say, they all stood their frozen. Watched as the police dragged Adi towards the exit, and as Adi repeatedly tried to deny the accusation.
Adi was shocked, would be an understatement. He was flabbergasted. He was not a saint, agreed. He had broken the law quite a few times too, drinking and driving, barging into the Arora household, causing a ruckus, and not to mention the biggest- running away while being accused of murder! But never had he ever as much as LOOKED at a woman with any ill-intentions. And he was being arrested on the charges of attempted sexual assault! What was happening!? How would he prove himself innocent of this!? What would his family think? What would Zoya think? He came from a family of lawyers. He knew how serious such cases were, and if in case he did not have a strong alibi to prove his innocence, he might even be convicted. All of these thoughts as well as the primary defence of trying to talk to the policemen, to make them listen was numbing Adi, making him unable to comprehend what to do. The only thing going on in his mind was that he wanted to be out of this mess. He was desperate.
Just then, Zoya came out of her cabin. She had been working through the details of some project that they were working on, when the commotion outside attracted her attention. Looking at the scene unfolding in front of her, she first stood shocked for a second, trying to absorb everything in, and then, coming to her senses, she walked towards the policemen and Aditya.
Zoya: rukiye! Suniye! Ye kya ho raha hai?!
Aditya: Zoya! Zoya, ye log mujhe arrest kar rahe hain. Inse kaho na ke maine kuch nahi kiya.
Zoya reached Aditya and looked at him. She looked towards the inspector and then at the girl who now stood silently in one corner, a hint of a smirk playing at her face. She felt as though she had seen this girl somewhere. There was a familiarity about her that Zoya couldn't place. But that was not the priority at this moment.
Zoya: Inspector, aap Aditya ko arrest kyun kar rahe hain. kya allegations hain?
Inspector: Sexual Assault ka case hai madam. Iss ladki ne inke khilaaf complaint ki hai ke inhone uss par sexual assault attempt kiya. FIR darj ho chuka hai, inhe custody mein to humein lena hi padega.
Zoya looked at Aditya with a shocked expression. It was unbelievable. ADITYA could do something like that was unimaginable.
Aditya: Nahi, Zoya nahi! Maine aisa kuch nahi kiya hai. Please believe me. Tum jaanti ho mujhe. Main manta hoon main sabse acha, by the rule book type ka insaan nahi hoon, lekin sexual assault? Main aisa kabhi nahi kar sakta Zoya, please mera yakeen karo.
Zoya looked from Aditya to the girl, silently standing in the corner now, her hands swiping her cheeks as if trying to wipe tears from her eyes. Zoya couldn't put her finger on it. Sexual Assault allegations was a major thing. No girl would lie about it. So why did this whole situation feel so off? Seeing Zoya stand silently, the inspector motioned for his constables to carry on walking outside. Aditya looked at Zoya with a sadness etched on his face. He didn't know why, but he had expected her to say something, to believe him, to save him. The constables pulled on the handcuff to get Adi moving, but his eyes were transfixed on Zoya, who was now walking towards the girl with a sympathetic expression on her face. Zoya wrapped her arm around the back of the girl, giving her moral support. She turned to look at Aditya with steely, hard eyes, and for some reason, that is what hit Aditya the most. Not the shock at being accused of sexual assault, not being arrested, but Zoya looking at Aditya with cold eyes. THAT hit him. He stopped fidgeting, and resisting, as if giving in; as if there was nothing to resist for, nothing to fight for.
Zoya: RUKIYE!
The inspector, the constables and Aditya, all stopped in their way and turned around to look at Zoya.
Zoya: Aditya Hooda. Humein aapse ye umeed nahi thi. Aap iss kadar girh sakte hain... chee. Aura ap deny kar rahe hain? aapne kuch nahi kiya? Rukiye. Apne kiye ki kahaani sun ke hi jayein ab. (looking at the girl) suno? Daro mat. Iss aadmi ne jo bhi kiya. Sab bataa do. Hum jaante hain mushkil hoga. lekin ek baar bol do. Tumhaari galati nahi hai. Inki hai. Aur sabko pata chalna chahiye ke inhone kya kiya hai. Bolo. Hum tumhaare saath hain.
WARNING: content ahead contains reference to attempted sexual assault. Please read carefully, and avoid if you feel it may trigger anxiety.
Girl: mera naam Trisha hai. 25th June ko Hooda Mansion mein ek party huyi thi. Usmein main bhi invited thi. Jab main washroom se bahar aayi to ye aadmi baahar mila mujhe. Humne thodi der baat ki, lekin ye drunk tha. Isne mujhse poocha ke main iske saath date par jaungi, lekin maine mana kar diya, aur wahan se nikal gayi. Fir jab party khatam hone ke baad, kuch 11:45 PM kea as paas, main ghar jaa rhi thi, to meri gaadi ke darwaaze ke saamne aa kar kharda ho gaya, aur mujhe darwaaze ke against pakad liya. Thankfully ye poori tarah se drunk tha to maine kisi tarah se isko dhakka de kar, apni gaadi mein baith kar nikal gayi, varna...
WARNING: Okay, the description is over, so you can read if you skipped the part above. Again, some references are still made, so read at your own discretion.
Akanksha: vo party to 4-5 hafte pehle thi. Tum pehle saamne kyu nahi aayi?
Trisha: Main dar gayi thi. Ye Aditya Hooda hai. Hooda family ka law par kya influence hai ye hum sab jaante hain. unka reputation bhi kya hai ye bhi. Main kya stand leti. Maine socha isse bhool jaati hoon. Lekin nahi. Mere saath galat huya hai. Aur Aditya Hooda ko iska hisaab chukaana hi padega.
Zoya: aap bilkul sahi keh rahi hain. aise ghinone apradh ki maafi nahi hoti. Saza to milegi. Ab yaad aaya aapko Mr Hooda. How could you? Ek baar aur suna to Trisha, date aur time inko, taaki chap jaaye dimaag mein!
Trisha: 25th June 2018. 11:42 PM. Ye time yaad rakhna Mr Hooda.
Zoya: Very good. I'm so proud of you. Inspector, le jayiye please.
As the 3 policemen and Adi start to turn, Zoya steps forward with Trisha once more.
Zoya: arre kahan chal diye. Aditya ko nahi. Inn madam ko le jayiye. Inpar defamation ka case hone jaa raha hai, aur vo hum kar rahe hain. Aditya begunah hain.
Everyone turned to look at Zoya in shock, and Adi, who had hung his head, ashamed and disappointed, looked at her as if she had suddenly proposed Marriage to him... or sprouted two heads.
Zoya: Dekha Aditya, issiliye hum kehte hain. thoda effort daal ke anniversaries, birthdays, special dates yaad rakh liya kijiye. Ye poora problem hi na hota. Aap humein aise kya dekh rahe hain? humaare paas evidence hai humaari baat ka. Inspector sir, agar aap please Aditya ke haath se hathkadi nikal denge please, aur in mahutrama ke haath mein daal dijiye. Aur Trisha ji. Agli baar kahaani bunne se pehle zara dates check kar lijiyega. Aur logon ki locations bhi, you know jisko aap fasaana chahti hain. 25th June 2018 ki raat, infact 24th June aur 26th June ki raat ko Aditya Mumbai mein hi nahi the, to vo assault kaise attempt kar sakte hain? 24th June se 26th June ki raatein aur poore din, hum dono, aur humaare parivaar Lonavala mein the. Humaari choti behen Noor ke birthday celebrations mein shamil the. Aur Aditya unn 3 dinon mein uss jagah se ek metre bhi door nahi gaye, to Mumbai mein kisi par assault attempt kaise kar sakte hain? jis party ki aap baat kar rahi hain, Miss Trisha, vo 25th June nahi, 21st June ko thi. Hooda & Son's ki 30th anniversary ki party. Jahan par Aditya aap par nahi, balki kuch ulta hi ho raha tha. Ab ye mat poochna humein kaise pata, varna saara kachcha chittha khul jayega. Inspector, hum aapko humaare farmhouse ka CCTV footage submit kar denge, par filhal aap ye photos dekh lijiye. Date aur time ke saath, teenon dinon ke photos hain ismein. And in fact, party vali raat bhi Aditya poora time humaare saath hi the. ZoSh ne hi event organise kiya tha to hum vahan subha ke 3 baje tak sab setup samet rahe the, aur Aditya vahan se kahin nahi gaye. Uske baad hum sab Hooda Mansion mein hi so gaye the. Aap chahein to hum vo footage bhi aap ke paas submit kar denge.
The policemen looked at the photos that Zoya had uploaded to her social media accounts. She was absolutely correct. At the time and the day that Trisha had built her story on, Aditya was in Lonavala. It was impossible that Trisha could have been attacked by Aditya. The alibi was solid.
Zoya went and stood in front of Trisha and looked at her with a lot of anger.
Zoya: itne serious baat ko aapne mazaak banaa ke rakh diya Miss Trisha. Aapko andaaza bhi hai kitni auraton ke saath ye sach mein haadsa hota hai? Lekin ek rejection ka badla lene ke liye, sirf apni ego mend karne ke liye aapne ek nek insaan par itna ghinona ilzaam lagaaya. Disgusting. Kitni auratein kisi pressure, kisi darr, kisi na kisi reason se aa kar apne saath hua haadsa bayaan nahi kar paati hain. lekin aapko vo support, vo freedom mila to aapne iss tarah uski insult ki. Aap jaisi ladkiyon ki wajah se actual victims ko vo support, vo help nahi mil paati jo unhe chahiye hoti hai. Lekin aap nahi samjhengi. Kyunki ye baatein samajhne ke liye dimaag hona zaroori hota hai. Abhi bhi aapke facial expressions se mujhe aapke andar ka disgusting mind-track dikhayi de raha hai. Main aap par apna time waste nahi karoongi. I hope ye baat aapko apne aap sahi samay par samajh aa jaye. Kahin der na ho jaye. Le jayien inspector inhe.
As the inspector took Trisha away with them, after promises from Zoya that she would submit both the footages as soon as possible, and released Adi, everyone in the office sighed with relief. Zoya took in and let out a big sigh, and then walked out to her own cabin. Aditya saw this and was about to follow her, when Mona and Akanksha approached him.
Mona: Sir, hum khush hain kea aap innocent prove ho gaye.
Akanksha: sir hum sorry bhi kehna chahte hain. humein aapke liye stand karna karna chahiye tha.. lekin.
Aditya: arre nahi, sorry mat bolo please. Vo allegation hi aisa tha ke main khud shock mein chala gaya tha. But on one hand main khush hoon. Tum dono ne beshaq kuch bola nahi... tum dono, infact iss office ka saara staff meri family jaisa hai. Tum mein se kisi ko bhi kuch ho ye main kabhi nahi chahta. Aur apne aap ko bachaane ke liye best tareeka yahi hai k apne aap ka khayal rakho aur apne aas paas ki situations ko analyse karke react karo. Agar yahan meri jagah koi aur hota jo actually guilty ho, aur tum emotional ho kar usse support kar do, to tumhaare liye bhi khatra badh sakta hai na. so I'm glad ke tumhaare decision mein self-preservation tha. Its okay.
Mona: sir baat sirf stand lene ki nahi hai, bharose ki bhi hai. Hum aap par bharosa karte hain Sir, believe us, lekin jab uss bharose ke khare utarne ka time aaya to hum chup rahe.
Aditya: Mona, tumhaara bharosa tumhaari aankhon mein saaf saaf dikh raha tha. I know okay? Tum logon ko main jaanta hoon.
Akanksha: lekin sir, aaj jo Zoya ma'am ne kiya. Vo kitna awesome tha. Unhone uss ladki ko uske apne web mein fasaa diya. She's a Rockstar!
Mona: Haina! Main bhi yahi soch rahi thi. Zoya ma'am jaisa koi bhi nahi hai seriously!
Leaving the two of them in their talks, Aditya made his escape and went towards Zoya's room. She had been his saving anchor when he had almost been swept away by the storm. And at that moment, he just needed to be near her.
Zoya was in her cabin, now working through some paperwork for the past events. This was usually Aditya's department, simply because she hated it. That's why she had handed this department over to her business partner without any arguments. But now he wouldn't come to the office as he would be resuming his pilot duties soon. So, he had insisted that she finish this paperwork.
Aditya: baadmein tumhe hi fayeda hoga isse. Get some practise jab tak main yahan hoon. Taaki baad mein koi problem na ho.
Zoya: humein aata hai ye sab. To jab tak aap hain, aap hi sambhaalein.
Aditya: Acha ji! Aata hai humein. Baad mein agar mujhe office bulaaya ya phone kiya na, ke Aditya humse ye nahi ho raha, von ahi ho raha. To dekh lena!
Zoya: haan nahi karenge. Vaise bhi, aapke jaane k baad to humaara bhoot bhi aapko vapas na bulaye. Humein to bahut Khushi hai ke aap jaa rahe hain. aapki shakal dekhna kise pasand hai vaise bhi? Vo to aap khaali na baithein office mein, issiliye hum aapko ye paperwork aur financial department de dete the. Hum to kehte hain aap jitni jaldi jaayein utna acha hai.
Aditya: haan haan Ghalib. Bol lo. Jis din chala gaya na, uss din yaad karogi mujhe.
He was right. She would be missing him on those days. Especially if they were as dull and boring as this pile currently on her desk. She left the mountain of paperwork and leaned back in her chair, mulling over the events that had taken place a little while ago. The Audacity of that girl! How could she!? Accuse someone innocent of such a crime!? That too Aditya? how dare she!? If she could have, she would have... she would have.. she.. she didn't even have a suitable punishment for that woman! Using something so sensitive just to stroke her ego? What the hell was happening to the world?
A sharp knock brought her out of her reverie, followed by the door opening as Aditya hesitantly stepped into her office.
Aditya: Zoya kya main andar aa sakta hoon?
Zoya: Ji of course. Aapko andar aane ke liye kabse humaari permission ki zaroorat padh gayi? Aaj taka ap jahan bhi aaye hain bina ijaazat ke hi aaye hain Janaab Aditya Hooda.
Zoya replied with a smile and a wink, while Aditya hesitated some more.
Aditya: vo... abhi bahar jo hua... uske liye thank you.
Zoya: Aditya... bhool jayiye usko. Sab jaante hain ke vo ek jhoot tha. Aap aisa kabhi nahi kar sakte.
Aditya: lekin tumhe kaise pata chala ke vo ladki jhoot bol rahi thi?
Zoya: kyunki hum aapko jaante hain. aap kabhi sapne mein bhi aisa nahi kar sakte. Humein aap par poora bharosa hai Aditya. but iske ilaava, uss ladki ki shakal bahut jaani pehchaani si lag rahi thi. Pehle to yaad nahi aaya, lekin phir usne Hooda & Sons' wali party ka zikr kiya to humein yaad aa gaya. Aapko yaad hai ek ladki thi uss party mein, jo aapko baar baar dance ke liye pooch rhi thi, aur flirt kar rahi thi, lekin aap mana kar rahe the. Aur phie
Aditya: ek minute. Aur phir usse bachne ke liye maine tumhe dance ke liye poocha tha aur hum poori raat dance kar rahe the? Ye VO thi!??
Zoya: exactly! Vahi ladki thi ye. Aur teesri baat. Jab hum bahar aaye to vo ro nahi rahi thi, in fact gussa tak nahi tha uske chehre pe. Ek satisfaction thi. Almost smirk bhi kar rhi thi. Usne nahi dekha mujhe, uska facial expression dekhte huye, but maine dekh liya tha. Tabhi pata chal gaya tha k daal mein kuch kaala hai.
Aditya: to vo sab jo tumne mujhe sunaaya, aur inspector, le jayein iss aadmi ko? Pata hai mujhe almost heart attack aa gaya tha.
Zoya: Please, ye to maine bilkul iss tarah nahi bola tha. Aur zaroori tha. Sirf humaare bharose par to nahi chodh denge na vo aapko. Humein kuch to evidence chahiye tha! Humein pata tha vo koi na koi galati to karegi. Lekin itni badi karegi ye nhi pata tha.
Aditya: Ghalib tu to shaatir nikli! Mujhe nahi pata tha tere andar itna khurafaati dimaag hai.
Zoya: usse sangat ka asar kehte hain. acha ab aap jayein, hume kaam karna hai.
Aditya: kya kar rhi hai? Ouch, paperwork. Karo karo. Lage raho.
Zoya: kitne besharam, behaya aur kamzarf insaan hain aap? Humne aapki itni madad ki, aur aap humaara chota sa paperwork nahi kar sakte?
Aditya: nahi kar sakta. Kazmarf to kazmarf sahi.
Zoya: Kamzarf, m pehle aata hai.
Aditya: haan haan, kaam karo apna! Ghalib kahin ki.
Zoya (running to catch him): ADITYA!!!
Aditya (running out of the office): Ghalib, le lo jitna maza le sakti ho. jab vapis flying licence mil jayega na to miss karogi!
Zoya (at the door): AAPKO MISS KARE HUMAARI JOOTI!!! (looking at him angrily, and then burst out laughing) (walking back to her chair, smiling) lekin haan, jooti ke saath saath hum bhi karenge... Janaab Aditya Hooda..!
Alrighty.. do let me know! like and comment plz 😊
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